An Investigation of Shelter Workers’ Perspectives on the Assessment and Management of Unowned Cat Welfare in the United Kingdom
Avni Bhatia, Ana Maria Barcelos, Jenni L. McDonald, James Waterman, Lauren Finka · 2026
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Description
Avni Bhatia and co-authors present a 2026 interview study of shelter workers in the United Kingdom about unowned cats living freely outdoors. Twenty-five workers described how they judge and manage the welfare of these cats, which sit between wild and domestic life. Their concerns and frustrations form the core evidence.
Overpopulation, untreated illness, missed routine veterinary care, and cruelty topped the welfare worries. Workers blamed tight funding, staff shortages, poor facilities, and cats unsuited to home life inside their own organizations. Outside pressures included weak government backing, low public awareness, and inconsistent community care. Fuzzy labels like stray and feral also muddied decisions. Participants urged wider trap-neuter-return programs, better staff training, shared standards across charities, and stronger laws with real enforcement.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Avni Bhatia, Ana Maria Barcelos, Jenni L. McDonald, James Waterman, Lauren Finka |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 71 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |